Overview
- A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed the Health Ministry to draft and publish the compensation framework expeditiously.
- Existing AEFI monitoring will continue through current committees, with periodic public release of data and an accessible online portal for individuals and private doctors to report events.
- The Court declined to appoint a separate expert panel, finding the present scientific assessment mechanisms sufficient.
- The policy will not be treated as an admission of liability by the government, and affected persons may still pursue other remedies available in law.
- Ruling on petitions from families alleging vaccine-linked deaths, the Court stressed it was not reviewing efficacy, and noted government submissions on India’s large rollout and very low reported rates of serious AEFI and deaths.